Hand Block Printing

Indian textile designs just like the Indian culture varies from city to city. The process of applying colors in a specific pattern to achieve desired designs is know as textile printing. When a fabric is properly printed, the colors bond with the fiber and withstand by not fading even after washing. Indian textile uses various techniques like wooden blocks, screens, rollers and engraved plates to imprint the designs on the fabric. One of the most intricate hand printing techniquies is called Hand Block Printing.

What is Hand Block Printing?

This technique of textile printing that has been practiced for centuries in India. It involves carving of wooden blocks into the desired designs and patterns. The artisans first make an imprint of the design on the wooden block piece. Then various tools are used to hand carve them on the wooden piece. The intricate designs developed through this technique involves stamping the same area of fabric with different blocks to achieve a desired pattern in defined color tones. The local artisans through their skills can carve a wooden block into various floral patterns, animal and abstract modern designs. Such intricacy makes these bed sheets one of a kind.

                             Floral and Palm Tree Motifs Hand Block Printed Bed Sheet

How is Hand Block Printing done?

Hand block printing requires immense practice and skills in order to create clear patterns uniformly.  The process involves stamping the wooden block on a tray of paint and then imprinting the pattern onto the fabric multiple times. The artisan first uses the outline block to imprint the outline of desired design. He then, uses different filler and motifs blocks to fill in the design with different colors and patterns. This process makes it a slow yet highly artistic process of textile printing done by skilled artisans only. Block printing is a famous textile art form from Rajasthan which has been running in artisan’s families for generations. Block printing technique is used to print simplest to complex designs on variety of fabrics like linen, cotton, silk or jute.  

Blocks used for hand block printing are prepared using Sheesham wood. The blocks generally have 2-3 inches of thickness for easy use and vary in size depending on the pattern it imprints. The blocks are carved precisely as each block uses a specific color in the design and fits perfectly into the overall design. Hand block printing is a widely used technique of printing fashion fabrics and home decor products.

                             Red Hand Block Printed Dining Table Runner

Block printing is an intricate process, the artisan needs to be very precise while placing the filler blocks to get the desired design. Hand block designs are usually inspired from the rich architectural patterns of Rajasthan and nature. Block printing is famous for different floral, animal (like elephant) and Mughal motifs. However, now a days, block printing is also inspired from the modern-day abstract designs. While, new designs might get introduced in hand block printing, small patterns like Buti, Bel, Jhal and Buta still constitute a large part in block print designing.

What makes Hand Block Printing so special?

Hand block printing designs have been adored and admired since Mughal era. Block printing has not only captivated domestic attention but also on a global level. The entire process of block printing and the way a carved wooden block portrays the imagination of a designer into reality has increased the overall demand of this traditional textile art form. With the help of skilled artisans and a mix of modern and traditional designs, hand block printing has emerged from simple motifs to more intricate impressions.

                     Mughal Motifs with Floral Jaal Comforter Set

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